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F. H. HOPLER. BRIDGE.

No. 518,648. Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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"UNITED STATES .y PATENTN Genios.

FRANK H. HOPLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T() LEWIS BARNES, OF SAME PLACE.

BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,648, dated April 24, 1894.

Application filed August 3, 1893. Serial No. 482,258. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOPLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bridges, and more particularly to that class which is known as culvert bridges, and it has for its object to provide a simple construction which can be easily and rapidly built'and put together without special tools, and which shall be exceedingly strong and well-adapted to the purposes for which it isintended, and to these ends my invention consists in a culvert bridge embodying the general features of construction and arrangement substantially as hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a side view, a portion being cut away, showing a bridge embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse section, on the line 2 2, Fig. l.

The purposes and objects of my presentinvention need not be further stated, as the use of the so-called culvert bridge is well understood by those skilled in the art, and the requirements and desirable points to be attained in such construction are also well known, and I will now proceed to set forth the manner in which I construct such bridges.

I provide longitudinal bed pieces A, A, which are preferably made of wrought iron, in the form substantially as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, that is to say, in the form of angle, bar or plate iron, the plates A', being turned up from the main body portion at an angle corresponding with the angle of the sides of the bridge. I further provide what may be termed the top piece, B, of the bridge, and this is preferably in the form of a T-bar or plate of wrought iron, or similar material, the central extension Bf, projecting downward These bed pieces and top piece, which are in ordinary merchantable forms usually found in the market, are then united by a series of braces, and while these braces may run vertically, I preferably arrange them at an inclination to the base pieces and top piece, as this serves to strengthen the bridge and prevent distortion, as well as to support the parts. I also preferably arrange the braces in two sets, which Iterrn the inside braces C, and the outside braces D, and these are preferably formed of flat or bar iron, and are practically all of the same shape, and theycan be punched cold or otherwise, sc that when they are put in position, they will all fit together and can be readily secured by bolts, rivets, or other similar means. lonnected to these braces is a side wall E, and this is preferably made ot' iron plate, although wood or other material may be used,and as shown in the drawings,Ihave arranged the side walls E, between the inside braces C and theoutside braces D, as in this way the walls are prevented from warping or becoming distorted, and serve better to maintain the rigidity and strength of the bridge. These side walls may be punched in regular order, so that the holes will correspond with the holes in the inside and outside bars, and so that the bolts or rivets may be readily placed in position, extending through the braces and the side wall, and secure them all together. It will be understood that the braces and side walls are also secured by suitable rivets or otherwise, with the anglebase pieces A, and they are also secured to the top pieceB, and I have shown a single rivet or series of rivets b, extending through the braces and side walls, and the projecting rib B of the top piece, and it will thus be seen that all the parts are readily and firmly secured in position by the smallest number of bolts or rivets.

In order to give additional strength to the bridge and prevent its spreading, I provide stay-pieces F, which lunite the angle base pieces at suitable intervals and hold them in proper relations.

It will thus be seen that I am enabled to provide a simple, cheap and at the same time, substantial, bridge in which all the parts may be made so that they can be readily fitted in position and secured together to :make a bridgeof any length, and that the parts are so arranged as to attain the best results as to stability and the use of the least material for the greatest strength, and while I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my in- IOO vention, it is evident that the details may be varied by those skilled in the art without'departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim isl. A culvert bridge, comprising the base pieces, the top piece, the braces uniting said pieces, and the side covering secured to the braces, substantially as described.

2. A culvert bridge, comprising ,the base pieces formed of angle iron, the top piece formed of a T-bar, the braces connected to the angle base pieces and the top T-bar, and

` the side plates interposed between the braces,

substantially as described. 

